The Hero's Descendant is the Reincarnation of an Infamous Fey Lord

Lorcan stood hesitantly at the threshold of the laundry room door, his palms slightly damp and his heart pounding with anticipation and uncertainty. The room beyond seemed alive with movement—there was the quiet murmur of voices, the shuffle of feet, and the steady hum of work done by the maids. He felt out of place, unsure how to act around these people, particularly with his trainer, the head maid, and others busy within. This was all so new to him. He had never set foot in a noble household before, and now, in the presence of this well-oiled machine of an estate, he had no idea what to expect. His mind wandered back to the bewildering moment when he first met Lord Dubhan.

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Eogan had practically dragged Lorcan into the office before breakfast, his grip firm around Lorcan's wrist. The young noble was eager to introduce his new servant.

"Father!" Eogan had called out, his voice almost too cheerful as he yanked open the door. "This is Lorcan. He's going to be my servant starting today."

Lord Dubhan, sitting behind his massive oak desk with his sleeves rolled up, paused in his work. His dark eyes, shadowed by exhaustion, looked up from the papers before him. His brows furrowed, but there was something oddly resigned in his gaze. "I suppose you met him last night after you snuck out of the mansion for the second time that day?"

Lorcan froze, caught completely off guard. Was Eogan really the kind of person who sneaked out so casually?

Eogan, unfazed, shot back with a sharp grin, his words quick and confident. "So what if I did? You only cared yesterday morning because I dragged Aine with me. Am I right? Normally, you don't mind when I go out." He looked away from his father, pouting in that dramatic way Lorcan had quickly come to associate with him.

Lord Dubhan's lips twitched, betraying a hint of amusement despite himself. "So, you think I don't care because I let you misbehave sometimes?"

Eogan winced but quickly recovered. "Uh, I didn't mean it like that," he stammered.

"If anything," Lord Dubhan continued his tone light but with a trace of pride, "I'm glad my youngest son is independent. Your brother's tutors had to teach them to think for themselves while you came into this world questioning everything and seeking answers on your own." His expression softened, a rare, almost fatherly warmth seeping into his words. "I'll talk to you later about your meridians. Maeve told me what the doctor discovered about you during your little escapade. I meant to speak with you last night, but you weren't around."

Eogan's shoulders slumped slightly, and his gaze dropped to the floor. "Yes, Father," he muttered.

The Lord turned his attention to Lorcan, his gaze sharp but appraising as though assessing the young man. The smile that followed was unexpected. "I don't know why my son insists on bringing you into my house as a servant, but I won't press for answers. Welcome."

Lorcan blinked in surprise, still struggling to process the whirlwind of events. "Just like that, my lord? I'm a servant now?"

Lord Dubhan chuckled softly, the sound more akin to a dry exhale. "Yes, and no questions about it." He raised an eyebrow. "Eogan only has one servant now, and Carys will be thrilled to have some help. Go find her and introduce yourself."

Lorcan nodded, still unsure. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play here, but for now, there was little he could do but follow the instructions given. What have I gotten myself into?

Eogan, in contrast, appeared genuinely pleased, his expression lit with excitement as he turned toward Lorcan with a mischievous glint in his eye. "This is great, Lorcan. I didn't expect Father to agree so easily." His voice was low, almost conspiratorial.

Lorcan remained silent, still reeling from the overwhelming rush of events that had taken place over the last twenty-four hours.

"Go on, Eogan," Lord Dubhan said, his tone warm yet commanding. "Lead Lorcan to the laundry room. The head maid is there. Tell her I want her to train Lorcan so he can support you like she supports me. He has a good head on his shoulders, so I'm sure he'll do just fine."

Eogan snapped a quick salute, grinning. "Yes, Father!" He turned on his heel and hurried toward the door. "Come on, Lorcan. Your first day awaits."

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That brought Lorcan back to the present. Standing before the laundry room door, he swallowed the lump in his throat. It felt like a world of new beginnings awaited him beyond this threshold, yet the weight of uncertainty still pressed on him. Eogan, without missing a beat, swung the door open with an air of confident ease, like he owned the place.

"Dilis!" he called out enthusiastically, his voice a bit too loud for the intimate space. "I've got someone to introduce to you!"

The elderly woman working nearby looked up from her task, her curly gray hair pulled back into a practical ponytail. Her sharp eyes twinkled with curiosity, but her expression was calm and collected. Several other women glanced up briefly before returning to work, unfazed by the interruption.

"Little Eogan," Dilis said with a knowing smile, her tone warm but tinged with amusement. "I'm curious what this visit is about." She set down her clothes and walked over to Lorcan, her eyes narrowing slightly as she gave him a thorough once-over.

Lorcan felt exposed under her gaze, but he stood his ground, not wanting to appear weak or unsure.

"Who is this?" Dilis asked, a sly grin tugging at her lips.

"This is Lorcan," Eogan explained proudly, not even a hint of hesitation in his voice. "He's going to be my servant from now on. Father wants you to train him personally." Eogan's chest puffed out just a little as he spoke, his pride evident.

Dilis raised an eyebrow, her smile widening into a grin. "Oh my," she said, her voice full of playful teasing. "The lonesome young lord finally has another servant!" She extended her hand to Lorcan, her fingers calloused from years of hard work. "I'm Dilis, the head maid of the Dubhan household. I'm looking forward to seeing what you're capable of."

Lorcan took her hand firmly, ensuring his grip was steady but respectful. "I appreciate you taking time out of what I'm sure is a hectic schedule to teach me," he said earnestly.

Dilis chuckled, her wrinkles deepening as she smiled widely. "Such a polite young man," she said approvingly. Her eyes softened as she turned back to Eogan. "I approve. He has potential."

Eogan, his face practically glowing with excitement, nodded eagerly. "You have no idea just how much potential he has." He winked at Lorcan, the private exchange understood only between them. It was strange, but Lorcan couldn't help but feel reassured.

Dilis raised an eyebrow at Eogan. "Go to breakfast, Eogan. Don't forget your training with your father this morning."

"Hmp," was all Eogan replied, his expression shifting to mild annoyance. He didn't look back as he left, throwing Lorcan a quick, encouraging glance over his shoulder.

Lorcan turned back to Dilis, who was already eyeing him with a knowing look. "A training session? The lord looked pretty tired this morning. Is it wise for them to train when he's exhausted?"

Dilis gave a slight, almost wistful shrug, her eyes twinkling with understanding and amusement. "Ah, yes," she replied, her tone shifting to quiet confidence. "The lord spent five hours last night searching for the young master. He was quite concerned, you know." She sighed lightly. "As for training, it's fine. Eogan's quite bad at wielding weapons. Doesn't matter what type it is."

Lorcan blinked, completely thrown off balance by this new information. Eogan? Bad with weapons? That revelation was a far cry from the near-perfect image Lorcan had formed of his teacher, who seemed to know everything, including how to use a gun.

"Have you had a tour of the estate yet?" Dilis asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were reading his thoughts. "Knowing how excited little Eogan was about having you here, I figured he might have talked your ear off but forgotten to show you around."

Lorcan smiled wryly. "No, I haven't been shown around yet."

Dilis laughed heartily, the sound ringing out through the laundry room. "Of course, he didn't show you! Well then, come along. We'll start with a tour. Can't have you getting lost and missing out on anything important." She paused, her gaze flicking toward the other maids with a mischievous glint. "And while we're at it, you'll be lucky enough to see Lord Dubhan giving Little Eogan a lesson in weaponry. It's quite the sight."

She turned to the other women in the room, her tone shifting back to professional. "Alright, girls. I'm taking the rookie on a tour. Keep up with your work, even if I'm not here."

"Of course, Dilis," said Carys, her wide grin nearly splitting her face.

One of the other maids leaned toward the other, whispering with amusement. "You must be thrilled to finally have help with that unruly boy."

Another maid chuckled softly. "Let's hope we don't drive the rookie off. For Carys's sake."